Louisiana State Bar Association

Access to Justice Committee

The mission of the Access to Justice Committee is to assure that every Louisiana citizen has access to competent civil legal representation by promoting and supporting a broad based and effective justice community through collaboration between the Louisiana State Bar Association, the Louisiana Bar Foundation, Louisiana Law Schools, private practitioners, local bar associations, pro bono programs and legal aid providers.

The Access to Justice Committee was established in 1996 to consolidate the efforts of two existing LSBA committees (The Legal Services Committee and The Volunteers In Public Service Committee). As the mission states, the committee helps to strengthen an integrated delivery network by supporting all those who deliver legal services to the poor. The current committee is comprised of 40 volunteer members, both attorneys and non-attorneys, with the common interest of assisting the indigent with their legal needs. These volunteers, with various backgrounds, reside throughout Louisiana and include corporate counsel, legal service attorneys, legal educators, large and small firm representatives, and pro bono directors. Their diverse backgrounds only enhance the committee's ability to work through initiatives from a variety of approaches.